If that seems inverted to you, stop typing up whatever asinine rebuttal you’re about to post and actually think for a second — because I would like to conduct this conversation in a place I call Reality.

If you’re about to tell me that having the power to change things seems like entirely good news, I suspect you’re the type of person who posts a lot of inspirational quotes on social media. You probably read a lot of self-help books.

You probably think that positivity is the key to happiness. And you’ve probably been in the same place for the last several years, with no end in sight.

People who don’t view having the power to fix their lives as “bad news” haven’t actually contemplated the Herculean effort it will take to make things better.

The time. The energy. The late nights. The grind. The despair. The sacrifice. The hunger. The inescapable knowledge that the ONLY way things get better is when you make them better inch by agonizing inch.

People who dive head first, heart first, into their shit realize that the power to change things means the responsibility to change things.

And anything that’s that terrifying is bad fucking news.

Accept that.

Accept that as true, and let it sink in, all the way to the marrow of your bones. And then decide whether you think it’s worth the effort.

Want to make more money? Fix your relationships? Get out of that job you hate?

Cool. Accept that all of those thoughts are the result of your shitty situation, which exists because you created it.

How liberating is that? It’s the best goddamn news you’ll hear all day.

Now: fix it.

Changing it seem too scary? Too hard?

Don’t have it in you to spend a year sleeping two hours a night building a business? Too afraid to bleed on pages and put your content out in the world for people to love or hate or judge or praise? Too comfortable in familiarity to just burn the whole fucking thing to the ground?

Cool.

Enjoy mediocrity.

Everyone else? I’ll see you at the top. I look forward to seeing your scars.

About the Author

John Romaniello is a level 70 orc wizard who spends his days lifting heavy shit and his nights fighting crime. When not doing that, he serves as the Chief Bro King of the Roman Empire and Executive Editor here on RFS. You can read his articles here, and rants on Facebook.